Aluminum nitride (AlN) films have a variety of uses in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. For example, AlN films may be used as hard masks for patterning underlying materials and may also be used as a constituent part in final integrated circuit structures. Various physical and electrical properties of AlN films, however, can limit their usefulness in some applications. For example, AlN films can have a high level of film stress, which can limit their compatibility with “soft” underlying materials. In addition, AlN films can have high leakage current, which can limit their use as a dielectric material in some electronic structures. Consequently, there is a continuing need for processes to deposit AlN-based films with improved physical and electrical properties.